Imperfect Perfection
by PathKeeper
Summary: She was a young lady scarred by false love, afraid to feel. He was a young man living a lie while tormented by a dark past. To him, she was perfect in every-way and far to pure to be touched by his stained hands. To her, he was living perfection unable to do wrong, living in a world far above her unworthy humble self. See as they find Perfect Love in each other's Imperfections.
1. Chapter 1: The Tale Begins

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat. This is for fun and not for profit. That is why it is on Fan Fiction and not in your local bookstore.

o-o-o-o means a major scene break or change in point of view

v-v-v means minor time skips or scene change.

* * *

'_A cold-blooded murderer.'_

Echoed through Kyouko's mind. As she ate lunch in the school's cafeteria, Kyouko had gone over what Murasama had said to Tsuruga-san trying to find what had caused such as strong reaction from him. After going all she knew about Tsuruga Ren, Kyouko was fairly convinced that, this phrase had cause Tsuruga-san to lose control of Cain.

She begins to wonder if somehow his actions had caused the death of someone in Tsuruga-san's past. This tidbit of information casts a different shadow on how Tsuruga-san had told Bo that he was not allowed to love. It also explained some of the darkness that Kyouko had got glimpses of ever since Tsuruga-san had taken on the role of Cain Heel. She still did not like to admit that the man she greatly adored and looked up to was not perfect.

Kyouko had realized ever since the Dark Moon car accident that Tsuruga-san seemed to be enveloped in a deep darkness of guilt and self-loathing that prevented anyone from reaching out to help him. As she ate the pre-made sandwich she had brought from the cafeteria she wondered why this revelation did not scare her. She reasoned that even if Tsuruga-san had caused someone's death it was unintentional and an unfortunate accident.

She was confident that she knew his true character, yes, there were things she had no knowledge of, like his past or real name. Nevertheless, after observing him very closely in several different situations Kyouko was sure she knew what made him tick. Ever since his newest movie had started and the Heel Siblings born, Tsuruga-san had been clearly struggling with something.

Whenever she saw him like that something within her just wanted to gather the shattered pieces of him and help put him back together. She never questioned this need to help him and drive out the darkness that recently always seems ready to consume him if she was not there. Kyouko did not even realize how much her presence helped her sempai in his fight against the darkness. As she bemoaned her uselessness in helping her sempai her purse started to shake violently.

She reached in and retrieved her vibrating phone. When she opened it, she found she had received a text message. Cursorily she opened the text and was instantly assaulted by a sudden explosion of color and moving pixels. It was a text from Kijima-san about a shop that sold really tasty treats.

Unknowingly Kijima-san had placed himself in the same category as a teenage girl in Kyouko's mind. By sending Kyouko, a text that was the perfect example in her mind of what high school girls send each other, her mind automatically sorted him away from man to girlfriend.

It was only because of this was that Kyouko was even willing to respond with more than a simple plain text after her momentarily bout of fairy fantasy inspired by the colorful text had passed. To her surprise, he texted right back asking what she was doing.

Still wary but her mind said it was okay, she responded that she was eating lunch and asked what he was doing. Kijima-san texted back that he was on his lunch break at a photo shoot with Tsuruga. Kijima told her about the photo shoot he was doing with Tsuruga Ren. She asked a few questions here and there, about what the shoot was like. As they texted, back and forth Kijima started to bemoan how it was unfair that Ren only ate so little but still had more energy than he had.

This was the wrong thing to tell Kyouko. Even before she realized it, she was already dialing Tsuruga-san's number.

v-v-v

Tsuruga Ren, consider by many to be Japan's top actor and most desirable man sat in his chair struggle to resist the urge to punch Kijima. He and his manager Yashiro had started their lunch break meeting Kijima Hidehito, his co-star in the photo shoot, in the break room for the models. As they exchange pleasantries and discussed their day Kijima reveled that he was sending a text to Kyouko. Ren had to grit his teeth as Kijima explained how he had finally managed to get Kyouko's number at the Dark Moon Finale party.

Thoughts of the party and the dress Kijima had dressed her in still filled Ren with anger and jealously. As he tried to calm down by thinking there would be no way Kyouko would respond to a man's text Kijima's phone gave a loud beep. To his horror she had responded, and not just a simple response but also one with color and moving text. Granted it was only one line but that still spoke a lot for someone of Kyouko's demeanor to do if she did not feel anything for Kijima.

Ren continued to sit there listening as Kijima texted back and forth with Kyouko unknowingly increasing Ren's anger while Yashiro watched with ever-increasing worry. "_Stop reading them out loud you idiot! Better yet stop texting her."_ Yashiro was screaming in his mind as Kijima continued to enjoy reading aloud Kyouko's texts. As Kijima continued to read aloud, Ren noticed that he started to come up in the text and what shocked him out of his haze of jealous anger was Kijima complaining about how little food Ren ate during the day.

"_You fool why you start talking about that._" Ren thought, as dread seemed to squeeze his heart. Any moment now, he was expected Kyouko's wrath to come crashing down on him. Ten seconds later Ren's phone started to vibrate. He opened it, raise it to his ear nervously, and greet the girl he knew was calling.

'Tsuruga-san...' A quiet dangerously sounding voice came out of the phone speaker. Even though it was a low quiet voice, everyone in the break room could hear it sending shivers down their spines.

'Hello Mogami-san, how are you doing?' Ren said calmly before she goes into her rant hoping to distract her. He stood up and walked over the far corner of the room for privacy.

"That was Kyoko-chan?" Kijima asked Yoshiro as he looked at Ren standing in the corner. By the expressions on his face, you could tell that he was being chewed out like a little boy who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Yes, I afraid that she is a little zealous in making sure Ren eats" Yashiro answered distract as he too watched Ren while Kyouko was raking him over the coals through the phone. He had to suppress a high-pitched fan-girl scream when he realized Kyouko was the one who called Ren. "_Don't screw this up Ren, remember she is the one who called first even though she was texting Kijima_" He thought as he watched his charge talk to his love.

"Tsuruga-san, what's this I hear about you not eating?" Kyouko asked in a scary quiet voice.

Ren shivered at her tone but had to smile at the fact that she stopped texting Kijima to call him. The rational part of his mind pointed out that she was just calling out of a misleading sense of responsibility left over from being his temporary manager. The more fanciful side imagined that it was because she cared for him. He decided to play dumb and see if he could throw her off his trail.

"What ever do you mean Mogami-san?, I was eating lunch right before you called." Ren said in a smooth even tone.

Unfortunately, for him Kyouko saw through his attempt at placating her, though he did not really expect it to work he could still hope. She proceeded to question him about what he had eaten so far. She reminded him that she knew he did not eat breakfast this morning as getting out of the Heel Sibling disguises took a lot of time. As he verbally navigated her anger, Ren started to enjoy himself.

Eventually he managed to turn the conversation into what she was doing. As she explained about all the upcoming tests to her horror and his amusement, he started to chuckle quietly under his breath. This was the wrong thing to do as she started to berate him for making fun of her. He asked what the rest of her day was like. She replied that she had to go to LME to talk to Sawara-san about some new offers she had before going home.

"Well if you're really want to make sure that I eat, why don't I pick you up from school and take you to LME. Afterwards we could go out to dinner." Ren offered neverously.

Hearing about Kijima go on about how his plan to get closer to Kyouko was starting to work made Ren want to be a bit more proactive in his actions towards Kyouko. For the moment, no concerns in his life were on his mind as he waited quietly for her response. The line was so quiet Ren could almost hear the cogs in her brain turning trying to come up with an excuse to turn him down. He started to think up some counter arguments while he waited for her first excuse.

v-v-v

"Well if you're really want to make sure that I eat, why don't I pick you up from school and take you to LME. Afterwards we could go out to dinner." Ren offered.

Kyouko sat at her table in shock over Tsuruga-san's offer to pick her and take her out to dinner. "_Is he asking me out on a date?_" She thought while blushing. Her grudges quickly swarmed that thought and removed it before it could trigger other similar thoughts. However, the locks on her heart started to shake and one by one start to fall off until one was left shaking Kyouko out of her shock.

"_Whoa that was dangerous; I must remember not to let my guard down around Him._" Kyouko thought as she started to think of ways of turning him down without actually saying no. Her first volley was that she would not dare be an inconvenience by having her Sempai by driving a lowly unworthy newbie talent like her around town. Ren countered by saying that it was he who offered in the first place and that he would not have done so if it was an inconvenience for him.

Her next attempt was that she could not take what precious little free time he had in his packed schedule just so he could pick her up from school and that she would meet him later. He responded by explaining that he was working a short day and that when his last job ended he would still have plenty of time to reach her school before she was ready to leave.

Frustrated Kyouko went with her last hope. She argued that it would be improper for her as his kohai to allow her sempai to waste his time waiting while she was busy talking to Sawara-san. Ren shot back that he needed to talk to the President in the next couple of days anyway, so he would be busy and not wasting his time as she put it. Kyouko gave a frustrated sigh when she heard this.

"_Arggh that frustrating man, why does he have to keep sweeping away my arguments." _Kyouko thought as she wondered what else she could use to get out of accepting. She did not consciously realize that she did not want to outright say no because sub-consciously she was pleased that Ren asked her out. Pulling back from the strange and twisted thinking of Kyouko, one could almost hear the whining tone of Tsuruga coming through the phone.

"_What is wrong with this man? I can almost see him making Cain-niisan's puppy eyes at me._" Kyouko thought. Over the course of their back and forth argument about Ren's offer Kyouko could just feel Ren increasing the cuteness in his voice trying to weaken her resolve. "_Dang it! He knows I can't resist him when he does that._" She cursed in her mind.

"Kyouko are you willing to accept?"Ren asked feeling her resolve weaken.

"You can pick what we have for dinner." He offered as a peace-offering.

Kyouko bit her lip before responding and saying yes to his offer. She let him know what time she would be ready to leave and promised to call him before she left the campus so He could pick her up in a discrete location to avoid rabid fans of Ren. He agreed and promised not to draw attention to himself to ease her worries.

v-v-v

Ren closed his phone after saying goodbye to Kyouko. He could hardly keep from letting a loud whoop of victory. She actually accepted. Now Ren knew she was not considering this a date, but the fact she did not outright reject him and say no gave a small hope. He walked as calmly as he could back to where Kijima was sitting with their managers. Yashiro gave him a knowing look, for a moment Ren feared that he saw through his calm but then he remembered that his manager was always imagining things about him and Kyouko.

"That was Kyoko-chan?" Kijima asked as Ren sat back down.

Ren hummed a yes, but refused to reveal what they talked about when Kijima pressed him for details.

"Well I'll just see if I can get it out of Kyoko-chan later." Kijima said airily while leaning back in his chair.

"What do you mean later?" Yashiro inquired.

Kijima just gave a smug smile and refused to answer. Before Ren could try to trick the answer out of him a stage hand entered the break room and announced that the photographer need Tsuruga-san and Kijima-san on set. The two actors left to resume shooting while their managers cleaned up the mess from lunch. As Ren walked ahead of Kijima to the set one thought raced through his mind.

"_What did he mean by later?_"

o-o-o-o

Near downtown of Tokyo, there inside a well-kept apartment was a tall blond hair man laid on the rich deep carpet of the main living room. The TV blared in the background as he lay there with one arm over his eyes. All was quiet in the apartment beside the TV and the sounds of a shower running from the bathroom. All of a sudden, the young man's phone started to vibrate.

With an annoyed look in his eyes the young man grabbed his phone and looked at the text message he had received. A sadistic grin appeared on his face as he read the message. Getting up quickly, he found his shoes and coat as he made to leave the apartment. When he had almost reached the door the bathroom opened up and a beautiful long blond hair woman stepped out wrapped in a thick fluffy bathrobe toweling her wet hair dry.

"Sho, where are you going?" Shouko asked her young charge.

The young man identified as Sho turned to look at her before he responded.

"To school."

Before she could question him any further, Sho opened the door and left the apartment while calling his driver around.

"_School? I hope he does not do something foolish. Ever since he saw the Dark Moon Finale interviews he's been brooding."_ Shouko thought worryingly as she looked at the door Sho had left through.

* * *

The first chapter of Imperfect Perfection done.

Inspired by chp. 188 of the manga, the concept for this story has bounced around in my head ever since the Heel Siblings were introduced.

Everything AU after 188.

This is my first Skip Beat story so let me know what you people think in reviews.

Please Review.

PathKeeper out.


	2. Chapter 2: The Seeds are Sown

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat. This is for fun and not for profit. That is why it is on Fan Fiction and not in your local bookstore.

o-o-o-o means major scene break, time skip, or change in point of view.

v-v-v means minor time skips, change in point of view, or scene change.

* * *

Kyouko stared despondently at the backboard while the teacher left the room. Her mind was desperately trying to recall what the teacher had talked about to no avail. All day long, she kept hearing or seeing things that reminded her of Tsuruga Ren. Her mind kept flipping back and forth on two different subjects concerning him preventing her from focusing on the teachers.

The first subject was the darkness that was eating away at her sempai, threatening to consume him at any moment. The phrase 'a cold blooded murderer' seemed to hold the key to her sempai's past. She recalled the president's words that Tsuruga-san was fighting a battle with himself and that somehow she was to help him in his fight.

Kyouko still could not figure out how acting out Setsu was going to save Tsuruga-san. All she knew was that he was clinging to her like a man drifting in the sea would cling to a piece of driftwood to stay alive. She blushed as she remembered the night after the first fight scene as B.J. had been filmed.

She had just returned from a quick late night trip for some food supplies when Tsuruga-san had confronted her in the hallway of the hotel. He had been so cold and pale that it truly frightened her; so much, that she laid in the same bed with him as he clung to her for comfort.

It still made her wondered why he seemed to draw such strength and comfort from her presence. She also remembered when he invited her over for dinner and made that awful omui rice. That night was a turning point for the both of them.

For Tsuruga-san, he made a choice to fight and conquer his past with Kyouko by his side. For her, it was the night when she realized how close he was to unlocking her heart and that she needed to be careful around him.

The second subject was about Tsuruga-san asking her if he could pick her up from school and have dinner with her later that night. It still frustrated her that he was able to sweep away all of her reasons about why she could not accept his invitation.

Although if she admitted it to herself, it pleased her that he asked and was persistent in getting her to accept. She worried greatly about him every second he was out of her sight. Because while playing Setsu, sister to his Cain, Kyouko had gotten used to being around him 24/7. Moreover, with Tsuruga-san now seemingly on the edge of falling into a pit of despair and darkness held back only by her presence. Kyouko worried even more when he was not around.

She sighed tiredly as she thought about what they could have for dinner. Tsuruga-san had foolishly left it up to her to decide. Kyouko toyed with the thought of asking for frog-legs, she had realized a while ago that when he had suggested them he was teasing her.

Kyouko did not want to risk going out in case he was recognized and she did not feel comfortable going back to his place as herself without the protection of her acting roles. A sly smile appeared on her face as she thought of one place they could go.

She had not been there since her gig as Setsu started and she had wanted to visit before she went back to acting and living as Cain's little sister. A quick phone call later and the arrangements were made for a nice dinner for them later that night.

Satisfied with her plans Kyouko gathered her books, as she got ready to leave. She pulled out her phone and dialed the number she knew by heart.

"Hi Tsuruga-san... Yes, I just left the classroom; I'll meet you at the coffee shop that is on the corner a block from the school... Don't worry I will be there soon, there is no need for you to get closer... See you in a little while Tsuruga-san**_._**" Kyouko finished her call as she stepped outside.

As she made her way through the crowds to the front gate of the school Kyouko wondered what was up with all the groups of teenagers pointing and whispering while looking at the front gate. For a moment she thought that Tsuruga-san had ignored her request and come into the school causing a scene.

Then she saw him standing there arrogantly, leaning against the gate as he was clearly searching the crowd for someone. Kyouko froze as she remembered all the pain and heartache he had caused her since they had both come to Tokyo.

Briefly, she thought about marching up to him and strangling him to punish him for all the pain he had given her. However, she did not want to be linked with him in the minds of her schoolmates, so she swiftly turned around while pulling out her cell phone.

Dialing her sempai's number, she asked him to pick her up at the school's rear gate. When asked why all she said was that the front gate was crowded and that this would be faster. Unknown to her, Sho had already disappeared as soon as he saw her turn around.

Kyouko ran quickly through the school grounds and with a determined thought, she hurdle the back gate in one powerful leap. As she stood there hunched over catching her breath she heard a loud click and felt metal enclose around her right ankle.

Shocked she looked up from the hand that had placed a handcuff connected to a long chain on her leg to the body it belonged to. It was Mimori who had jet chained her to the school's rear gate. Before she could question why the person she had tried to avoid stepped out of the car that had just pulled up.

"Shuo-chan, I caught her just like you asked, now where's my reward." Demanded an irate Mimori.

"I'll kiss you later, next time we're alone in the dressing room you'll get your kiss." He responded trying to get rid of her so he could take his prey.

"NO! You always say later, I want it now." Mimori complained.

As Sho and Mimori got into an argument about her reward, Kyouko bemoaned her predicament. Dread and relief filled her as she remembered she had asked Tsuruga-san to come to the rear gate. Dread because the demon lord was sure to appear when he saw Sho.

Relief because she knew that he would save from Sho. The argument between the two died out as Sho pointed out the consequences of being seen kissing publicly would have on her career. Mimori accepted Sho's reasoning and left leaving Kyouko to his tender mercies.

After unlocking the chain from the gate, Sho gestured to the open rear door of his ride.

"Get in. I have several things to talk to you about." Sho said roughly.

"No." She said while crossing her arms and settling into a defiant stance as she sought to buy time until Tsuruga-san show up.

This continued for a couple of minutes as Sho tried to get her into his car. When he approached her to bodily throw her in the car, she threatened to scream for help. She further threatened to call the police and press-kidnapping charges if he succeeded before anyone came.

"Fine, if that's how you want it. I'll do it here." Sho angrily spat out before he started to berate her for allowing Kijima-san to change her from head to toe for the Dark Moon Party. He proceeded to call her a worthless girl who let any man who flirted with her distract her from her goal of getting revenge.

As Sho continued to spew forth garbage and insults about Kyouko and her character, Kyouko started to grow pale as her eyes widened. Sho at first thought that maybe his plan on securing his place in her heart was working with how she was reacting.

However, when her eyes widened as she looked at something behind him, he had second thoughts and was about to turn when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he was roughly spun around and looked into rage-filled eyes that promised pain.

v-v-v

Ren sat in his Porsche as he waited for Kyouko's call. He had been on cloud nine all day long. No amount of prodding from Yashiro could reveal the source of his happiness. Yashiro had not been pleased when Ren had called a cab for him after their last job. For Ren had told him that he had to run a personal errand and would meet him later at LME before going home.

Yashiro reluctantly accepted the cab ride after extracting a promise from Ren to meet him later at LME. Happy that he had managed to get rid of his manager without raising his suspicions, Ren drove towards Kyouko's school and parked a couple of miles from it to wait for her call. Ren called president Lory and arranged a meeting later that day before his thoughts return to Kyouko.

The rational part of his mind told him not to get his hopes raised too high. The fact that she accepted and did not say no did not mean that she saw him as a man. She probably in fact twisted his offer of dinner around to some act a sempai would normally do for their kohai. Suddenly his phone started to ring.

"Hello Mogami-san... Are you ready to leave, where should I pick you up... Are you sure, I could pick you closer... Okay I'll be looking for you_._" He closed his phone as she said goodbye.

A couple of minutes later Ren found the corner she talked about and park his car where he could observe the direction she would be walking from. While he waited, Ren thought about what he needed to talk to president Lory about. This morning when he had left the make-up trailer Ren had caught the subtle hint that the president knew something was wrong and that he was available to talk to.

After a few minutes, Ren was starting to wonder where she was. He resisted the urge to get closer to the school and look for her. He decided he would stay and follow her wishes. As he was going through another cycle of arguing in his mind about whether to stay or go his phone started to ring.

"Tsuruga-san, um can you come and pick me up at the school's rear gate." Kyouko's voice said in a strained voice.

Concerned Ren asked if there was a problem. She avoids answering him and just said that the front was just too crowded and she decided she wanted picked up there instead. Ren frowned as he heard her reply, something did not sound right in her voice. It almost sounded like she was trying to hide something from him.

Ren agreed to pick her up there and started to pull his car into the street. It took him several minutes longer to get there than he liked. There had been several one-way streets that required him to take a large loop to get to the roads that led to the rear of the school.

As he approached the last turn he would have to make he noticed a black car make the same turn in front of him disappear around the corner. As his car approached the final corner, a girl in Kyouko's school uniform came walking around it.

She had this dazed look on her face as if she had heard the most wonderful thing in the world. Ren recognized the look of a love-struck girl and grinned at the thought of seeing Kyouko make that look when thinking of him someday.

As the car passed her, Ren recognized her as the girl who played the angel opposite of Kyouko in Sho's 'Prisoner PV'. He frowned when he thought about why she was walking away from the rear gate towards the front of the school with such an expression on her face.

Through the window of his car, Ren heard muffled voices arguing. He rolled down his window to hear the argument that seemed to be coming from where Kyouko was waiting for him. His blood ran cold as he recognized Kyouko's voice saying something about, 'calling the police if he came any closer'; Ren parked his vehicle and quickly got out.

As he walked closer, he realized the man arguing with Kyouko was Fuwa Sho. Anger and rage blossomed in Ren loosening the chains that bound Koun's darkness as he quicken his pace and round the corner. As he walked ever closer he could clearly hear the insults Fuwa hurled at the girl who held his heart. The last line Fuwa uttered before Ren grabbed his shoulder froze his heart.

"As long as a Man is paying for them, it amounts to the same thing! *" Sho's voice thundered in the relatively deserted street.

"_That's almost the same line I told Kyouko,_" thought Ren, disgusted that he would ever thinkor behave the same as Fuwa Sho towards her. Over Fuwa's shoulder, Ren could see Kyouko pale with fear as she saw him behind Fuwa. It struck his heart that she feared him. He could tell that some of Fuwa's words had hurt her and that she was restraining her tears from falling.

As Ren spun Fuwa around, he briefly wondered if when he reprimanded her at the Dark Moon Party for allowing Kijima-san to buy her clothes if he had hurt her in a similar way. Ren's eyes momentarily locked with Fuwa's eyes before examining his foe.

As Ren took in the long chain in Fuwa's hand that was connected to a handcuff around Kyouko's ankle his hand tightened until Fuwa let out a pained wince.

"Fuwa-san, Why have you put a chain on Mogami-san?" Ren asked in a dangerous voice.

"What's it to you. What I do to Kyouko is my only business, so butt out you two-bit actor." Sho said as he tried to jerk his shoulder free, but Ren held him too tightly for it to work.

This comment enraged Ren fully bringing Kuon's darkness out the prison it was locked in. It was only the pleading look on Kyouko's face kept him from breaking Fuwa's body.

"You will apologize to her, drop the chain and the key to the cuffs and leave." Ren said through gritted teeth.

"And if I don't what will you do." Sho taunted him as he ignored Kyouko's frantic attempts to stop him.

"I can do whatever I want to her because she is mine," he continued as a cocky grin appeared on his face.

Wrong thing to say to Kuon.

v-v-v

Before Sho realized it, Ren's fist slammed into his gut driving out his breath causing him to fall to his knees. "_What the hell._" Sho thought as he desperately tried to breath. He was faintly aware of Kyouko arguing with Ren above him as he lay on the ground.

He felt a large long finger hand reach into his pocket and grab the key for the handcuffs. A loud click and the sound of the cuffs hitting the ground told him Kyouko was free. Sho lifted his head to see that platform wearing hick walking down the street with his arm around Kyouko.

Sho tried to cry out in protest, but the pain in his gut kept him from forming any comprehensible sounds. His hand reached forward in a futile attempt to stop Kyouko. However, she never looked back as her and Ren rounded the corner and disappeared from his sight.

"_Damn that two-bit actor, how dear he hit me. Kyouko is mine!"_ He thought darkly as his driver rushed to help into the car.

o-o-o-o

The drive to LME was very tense, not at all what Ren imagine it would be when he picked up Kyouko. He was thankful she was there to stop him because after hearing Fuwa's words he saw red and Kuon took control. If she had not been there, Ren knew he would have done something much worse to that arrogant jerk.

He could not believe that he showed up at her school. Thinking how he had dared to put a chain on Kyouko as if she was his pet still filled him with rage. How dare he believe that he owned Kyouko. A voice in his head tried to tell him that he treated Kyouko the same, just in a more polite way than Fuwa.

Ren shook that thought away as he didn't want to think how his own actions towards Kyouko were in any way similar to that jerk. Nevertheless, the thought stubbornly remained forcing Ren for the first time to be introspective about his own recent actions towards her.

Did he cause her just as much pain as Fuwa with his jealous actions he wondered? He remembered how she reacted when he got angry and jealous at Kijima for being the one to help her prepare for the Dark Moon party when Kyouko had avoided him for days.

A dark voice in his mind, the one that blamed him for Rick's death, whispered that this was proof he was unworthy to have her. Ren gave her one last look before pulling into the LME garage. She still looked upset at him.

v-v-v

She was very angry that he had hit Sho; not that Sho did not deserve it. He still should not have resorted to violence, not for her sake. Kyouko was fearful that because of her Tsururga-san could have done grave damage to his reputation and image if anyone saw what he did. As she sat there trying to get her conflicted feelings under control, Kyouko wondered what sin did she commit to be cursed with Sho's constant presence.

It seemed when things were starting to go great for her; he would appear and ruin everything. His presence still stirred up the hate and loathing she held for him. Kyouko was fearful of what Tsuruga-san thought now that he once again caught her talking to Sho.

Even now sitting next to him she could feel his anger rolling off him in waves while he presented his gentleman's face. She was relieved that she had been able to stop him before he went too far and did serious damage to his reputation. She wondered why Tsuruga-san always listened to her when he went out of control.

Kyouko thought about the several incidents that had happened since she started acting as Setsu Heel where Tsuruga-san had lost control to his anger and it was only because of her that he stopped before he went too far. She remembered him telling her that it was her voice that cut through the haze and helped him remember himself.

She thought about trying to talk to him but she was afraid of what he may say to her. She was ashamed that once again she had let Sho intrude into to their lives. Kyouko unreasonable believed that it was her fault that Tsuruga-san was angry and that she had to repent for allowing Sho to corner her.

When the car came to a stop, Kyouko realized that they had arrived at LME while she had been lost in her thoughts. She turned as best she could in her seat and bowed her head as she begin to apologize.

"I'm so sorry Tsuruga-san! It was all my fault th..." She started to wail before a gentle hand on top of her head stilled her voice.

"Mogami-san please look up." A warm gentle voice said.

Knowing what she will see when she look up, Kyouko bravely looked up into Tsuruga-san's eyes that were filled with an emotion that she refused to identify. She felt the blood rush to her face as a blush grew on her cheeks while a strange warmth filled her body.

v-v-v

"Mogami-san there is nothing for you to be sorry for. The fault for what happened has nothing to do with you." Ren told her. "I am not angry with you," he said softly.

Looking into her tear-filled eyes Ren cursed himself for not addressing the situation before she started to take all the blame.

"But if not for me then you wouldn't have needed to hit him. It's my fault that you had to intervene in the first place." She argued passionately. Ren decided to lead her through several questions to make her see the truth.

"Did you ask for him to meet you?"

She shook her head no.

"Did you ask him to attach a chain to your leg and trap you there?"

Again, she nodded no.

"Did you request that he insult and demean you the way he did?"

She vigorously nodded a negative.

"So how is any of that your fault if he imposed himself on you against your will?" Ren questioned.

"But you shouldn't have intervened. I'm not worth the risk you took." She strongly protested.

"Kyouko." Ren said to get her attention and snap herself out of demeaning herself.

Before she could protest him saying her name without any honorifics like they were lovers Ren continued speaking.

"If you saw Kotomani-san in your place and stepped in on her behalf. How would you feel if she said that she was not worth the effort and the risk you took in helping her?"

"OF COURSE Moko-san is worth any risk! She's my best friend!" Kyouko replied indignantly before she considered his question.

"I would feel horrible." She concluded.

"Mogami-san have we not known each other for a while now?" He asked.

She looked at him warily before nodding her head in an affirmative.

"Mogami-san, I consider you a close friend and think no risk is too great to ensure your safety. I hope you also consider me your friend." Ren softly said while cupping the right side of her face in his hand.

Ren had to suppress the grin that threatened to cross his face when he saw her light blush deepen until her face resembled a ripe tomato. Kyouko sputtered that of course she considers him a friend before she quickly made her excuses and shot away from his car like a bullet from a rifle.

He watched as she disappeared into the elevator as she made her way into the LME building. Hope seemed to bloom anew in his heart at her reaction.

"_Just maybe she really does see me as a man."_Ren thought wishfully as he continued to gaze at the point that she left his sight.

* * *

**Chapter 2 done!**

**This is the un-beta version, but it should be clean. I will be making minor edits to it in the future as I see the mistakes. If you see one let me know in a PM.**

**Let me know what you think in a review.**

**For those who love Sho. He will be redeemed but it will be a long and dark road for him. As the saying goes 'you Reap what you Sow' and Sho has sown a lot of bad karma.**

**Tell me if you like how I did the characters and their thought process.**

*** was taken directly from page 25 of chapter 189 of Skip Beat. I do not own it.**

**Please Review.**

**PathKeeper.**


	3. Chapter 3: A Cleansing Flood

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat. This is for fun and not for profit. That is why it is on Fan Fiction and not in your local bookstore.

o-o-o-o means major scene break, time skip, or change in point of view.

v-v-v means minor time skips, change in point of view, or scene change.

"**_Hello, who is this?_**" Is speaking over a phone.

* * *

**Okay made a few changes to chapter 2 so check them out. Just added a few lines to make it a little bit more clear why things happened, as they did, like Ren hitting Sho. Cleaned up the grammar mistakes. I am so embarrassed that there were so many. I apologize for that and will strive to do better.**

Response to reviews:

**sunnydanibunbun**: First, great name :). Thanks for the great review.

You have to remember that Ren at this point loses control of his anger very easily since he has unlocked Kuon and started to merge his two personas. The confrontation with Sho happened just a couple of days after that big fight on the set of Ren's new movie.

In the manga, the president Lory says that there is something wrong with Ren. I took that to mean that he is still on edge control wise and I believe any threat to Kyouko would make him lose it. Yep Ren will feel guilty about how he treats Kyouko; he will suffer more in my story. However, that will be part of the process of Kuon growing up from the angst-filled teenager that he is to the image of a man who Ren projects.

**Amanthya**: Thanks for the review. I totally agree with about Kyouko getting in the car. The only reason I think she went in was that she did not want to be linked with Sho in the minds of her schoolmates. In the flashbacks, it showed that because Sho showed her attention in school all of her schoolmates ignored and bullied her in the attempt to show her, her place in life. I think Kyouko would believe this would happen again and does not want Sho to ruin her High School life.

The reason my Kyouko stayed and fought back was that she knew Ren was coming. In the manga, she did not really have any other options. Mimori is an immature brat just like Sho. I still trying to decide if she should stay relatively the same or have her see the light and drop Sho or something else.

Kyouko's ultimate revenge in her mind would be for Sho to have to eat the words that he said at the start of the manga. For some weird reason she still values his opinion over others. Do not worry that will change.

**MusicInTheRain**: Thanks for your reviews. Thanks for the encouragement. :) Someone did see the three of them and Ren hitting Sho. It will be worked into the story later and be a key turning point. Ren will not be punished too much because the person who saw then was not able to get a picture so they have no proof and Sho certainly will not admit to being laid low by one punch. It would destroy his punk tough guy image.

**HanaYuuki**: Oh, stop it. You're making me blush. ;) Thanks for the review and compliments.

**Starlight Rose**: Thanks for the reviews. Hopefully the manga will show Ren realizing just how close his actions mirror Sho's actions towards Kyouko. I really want him to grow up. I really want Kyouko to grow a backbone and just snap at either one when they start judging her and her actions. I mean neither one has confessed to her or are her boyfriend and yet both act like they own her. Just makes me so mad! She needs to be her own woman before she starts dating. The manga needs some more Moko sense added.

**kanista**: Thanks for the review.

**Crazy Sardines**: Thanks for the review. It is great to know others think I am staying in character for my characters.

* * *

**WARNING! Chapter contains extreme mushiness.**

**This Chapter is not Moko-san approved!**

* * *

'_A gentle hand touching her head_...'

Bu'dump!

_'Mogami-san please look up...'_

Bu'dump, bu'dump!

'_Brown eyes gazing into her own...'_

_Bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump!_

'_Kyouko..._'

Bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump_, bu'dump_!

'_His hand gently caressing her face..._'

Bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump_, bu'dump!_

'_I consider you a close friend_...'

Bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump_, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump_!

'_His words filling her with warmth..._'

Bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump_, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump_!

'_No risk is too great to ensure your safety...'_

Bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump_, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump, bu'dump_!

.

Kyouko leaned into the stairwell's cold wall, the cold feeling great against her flaming cheeks. As she stood there her heart thumping loudly in her chest, all she could think of was his words. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and tried to focus on anything else as her grudges valiantly worked on re-locking her heart.

However, all she saw was his warm brown eyes staring into her own filled with emotion. She felt his large hand gently move from the top of her head in a soft caress stopping as he held the held the right side of her face. All her mind could focus on was the closeness of his body, the feel and the heat of his hand, the vibrations of his words as they went through her when he spoke and the look in his eyes as he held her gaze as if by magic.

"_Stupid, stupid, stupid foolish girl. Why didn't you remember that he is dangerous. So close, just a little bit more and it would have opened."_

Kyouko thought as she regained control of her wildly beating heart. When she had fled Tsuruga-san's car and entered LME's main building, she made her way quickly to the rarely used side corridors that the Love-Me members used to navigate LME to hide until she could regain control of her emotions.

Upon finding a deserted stairwell, she stopped and rested as she fought to get rid of her blush. If the president saw her like this, she would be doomed and have to admit something she would not even admit to herself.

"_He considers me a close friend and one worth taking risks for."_ She thought. A warm feeling filled her. Sadly in her life Kyouko had never had anyone openly state that she was worth something. To have someone whom she cared for declare that no risk was to great to take for her broke something inside of her.

Warm tears slowly fell down her face as she sank down to the floor. Trembling hands clutched her purse to her body as a cleansing flood of tears were unleashed by Tsuruga-san's words. In her mind, all the harsh comments and insults that she heard from everyone in her life up until now seemed false and weak in the light of Tsuruga-san's one statement.

Despite their best efforts, the grudges had to watch as Kyouko's heart opened briefly and a bright light shot out. The light melted away to show a tiny angel that had long been absent in Kyouko's life. The grudges watched in awe and fear as 'Self-Worth' spread her wings filling Kyouko with a foreign feeling.

'Self-worth' grew stronger each time Tsuruga-san's words reverberated in her mind. In shock, Kyouko's dark emotions watched as this emotion of light greeted and hugged each one of her dark sisters in thanks for protecting their mistress.

Back in the world outside of Kyouko's body, there was the sound of someone huffing complaints as she stomped down the stairs along another person was silently thinking of many ways to curse the one who gave them their assignment.

Kanae and Chiori were both walking down the stairs having just finished a Love-Me request of cleaning the 4th floor's bathrooms. Both were disgusted by the mundane task they just had to complete and were taking the rarely used stairs to avoid people staring at their uniform when they both heard a girl-crying echo up from the flight of stairs just below them.

Hurrying their pace slightly, both were shocked when they reach the landing to see Kyouko slumped on the floor crying uncontrollably. Kanae was the first to respond to the sight in front of her when anger filled her at the thought of someone making her best friend cry.

Hearing a gasp of shock Kyouko manage to look up and see bright neon pink fill her vision as Kanae gathered her friend into a tight hug. Kyouko gripped the front of her best friend's uniform and just cry even harder as Kanae rock her and rubbed her back as if she would for one of her nephews and nieces.

Chiori disappeared for a couple of minutes while Kanae comforted Love-Me number 1 to get a wet towel and some water for Kyouko to help clean her up. "_What would make Kyouko-san cry?_" Chiori thought as she raced to the nearest break room for the needed supplies.

Kanae gently rocks her friend back and forth as Kyouko started to calm down. She cursed herself for responding as she did. While she greatly cared for Kyouko, Kanae did not like how her bizarre friend stirred up these homely feelings in her. Letting out a frustrated sigh, "_Well she is worth it,_" she thought as she continued calming her friend down.

Hearing some footsteps Kanae looked up and saw Chiori approaching with a damp towel and a bottle of water. Giving her a grateful nod, the two of them worked on getting Kyouko to let go of Kanae to help her clean herself up. With support from her fellow Love-Me suffers, Kyouko was escorted unseen into the Love-Me locker room. While Kanae leads her to the couch, Chiori locked the door to prevent anyone from barging in.

"Kyouko. Why are you crying? What idiot did this? Are you hurt?"

A concerned Kanae started to babble as she lost control of herself. A hand on her shoulder stilled her ranting, leaving Kyouko a chance to respond. Kanae shot Chiori a thank you as they watched their friend wipe away her tears with the damp cloth.

"Tsuruga..."

That was all the two managed to hear between Kyouko's hiccups and sniffles as she tried to answer Moko-san's questions. Anger blazed in Kanae's eyes setting off Kyouko's grudges in delight at the rage coming from the young woman. As she stood to go find that worthless man and punish him for making her friend cry Kyouko launched into action shocking everyone in the room.

"NO!" Kyouko shouted.

Before Kanae was able to take even three steps towards the door Kyouko jumped from the couch and wrapped her arms around Moko-san's legs causing the two to crash down to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

While Moko-san was shouting out curses at Kyouko as she tried to crawl her way free and hunt down Tsuruga Ren and Kyouko just as strongly clung to her to prevent that, Chiori just started to break out in uncontrollable laughter at the sight before her.

Both the Love-Me girls stopped their struggle and looked indignantly at the room's third member that was laughing at them. The tense atmosphere that had been present bled away as the three young women took in the positions each one was in and realized the ridiculousness of it all.

Allowing Kanae up, Kyouko led her back to the couch. Looking at Chiori gratefully, who was still standing unsure whether she should stay, Kyouko gestured for her to sit down on the couch with them. After a couple of deep breaths, Kyouko started to tell them why she was crying.

Hearing that it was because Tsuruga-san called her a close friend and state that no risk was to great to for her, Kanae demand just what risk did Tsuruga-san take that led to that conversation. Reluctantly Kyouko told her two friends about how Sho had trapped her at her school.

Enraged at hearing how Sho had arranged to have Kyouko chained like a disobedient pet to prevent her from running away, Kanae pushed Kyouko to reveal everything Sho said and to leave nothing out. Embarrassed Kyouko softly repeated Sho's words.

Chiori while angered at how Fuwa Sho treated her esteemed sempai, still had enough sense to realize that Kyouko had not revealed what Tsuruga did. Asking this broke Kanae from her anger induced cursing long enough to see Kyouko was still holding back information.

Very reluctantly, Kyouko revealed that she had made plans to have dinner with Tsuruga-san tonight and that he picked her up from school. Being hounding from both sides Kyouko told how he had arrived and stopped Sho in mid rant. She repeated the words the two men exchanged before Tsuruga-san knocked Sho out with one punch and freed her from the chain Sho had around her leg.

Still embarrass Kyouko recounted the conversation she had with him in his car in the LME parking garage. Under great pressure from both girls did Kyouko confess that it was the first time anyone had ever told her she was worth something, no matter the risks involved. That was why she was crying in the stairwell when they found her.

Somewhat embarrassed Kanae tightly hugged her friend as she got a another glimpse at how horrible her childhood had been. "_No wonder she acts so jealous of my family_" Kanae thought as her heart unwillingly opened to embrace the love she felt for her friend.

Feeling arms encircle her Kanae look over Kyouko to see Chiori hugging the both of them. Kyouko stuck between the two Love-Me girls was struck by the display of emotion from both girls. While she had considered them both her friends, she had never dared to really think that they held her on the same level of esteem that she held them in.

Kyouko sat with her two friends on the couch in the Love-Me room breathing slowly after her confession still reeling from the hugs she had just received. As she sat there between Kanae and Chiori, she felt a heavy weight lift from her soul. Already she realized that there was something different inside of her.

A change had occurred that freed a part of her soul she did not even realize was imprisoned. Started by Tsuruga-san's impassioned declaration of friendship and her worth and finished by the care and concern Kanae and Chiori had shown while they protected her when she was vulnerable. There was a lightness in her thinking, a feeling of warmth when she thought about her friends and her life.

The tears brought forth by Tsuruga-san's words had been the wound that drew out the poisonous words from her past that had crushed her self-image. Even though she was highly embarrassed that Kanae and Chiori had seen her so weak and vulnerable as she cried, Kyouko realized for the first time how much her friends valued her. A soft cough brought her attention out of her internal pondering as she was washing her face.

"Kyouko, I know haven't said it before and I don't do mushy stuff, but you are worth any risk... You, Kyouko, are my best friend."

Kanae said in an emotionally choked voice as she tightly hugged her friend. Burying her face into Kyouko's shoulder to prevent anyone from seeing her face, red from the embarrassing lines she just uttered.

Kyouko gave a soft gasp as she returned Kanae's hug. A warmth that surpassed even what she felt from Tsuruga-san's words filled her. Never in her wildest dreams would she have ever believed that one of her deepest most fervent wishes would come true. That she would have a female friend that felt the same as her.

Only since meeting Moko-san had this long-buried dream had started to resurface, but even then, Kyouko believed that it would never be fully fulfilled since Moko-san was not into girly stuff. Fresh tears started to flow down her face as her heart started to shake and rattle from Kanae's actions.

Just when she did not think the day could get better, Kyouko felt another set of arms embrace her from behind. Warping around her waist as Chiori's head rested on her free shoulder.

"Kyouko. I know we haven't known each long, but I hope you consider me a friend as well. If you accepted me, I like to be your friend too."

Chiori said softly her breath tickling Kyouko's ear. Though shocked and pleased that Chiori cared for her and consider her a friend Kyouko started to break out in laughter from the unintentional tickling of Chiori. Both Kanae and Chiori loosened their grip when Kyouko started to laugh; both wondering if their friend had broken from the stress.

This proved to be the opening Kyouko needed as she viciously attacks them both. Her hands wandering across their torsos as she mercilessly tickled them. After a couple of seconds of trying to escape her, but finding themselves locked in a tangle of limbs from their joint hugs, the two tag-teamed Kyouko in revenge of her surprised attack.

Anyone walking by the Love-Me room door would have heard loud shrieking and giggling as the three members of the cursed department wrestled as they tried to out tickle each other. After eight minutes of this, the three called a truce, as they lay sprawled on the floor, their brief fight having moved from the couch.

Kyouko laid still as she tried to regain her breath and bring order to the chaos in her mind sparked by her friends' declarations of friendship. Even now, it was hard for her to believe that after sixteen and a half years she could proudly say she had friends.

Moreover, it was not just one friend she could claim, but several friends that cared for her. For the longest time the only friend she had, was Corn. Sho did not count because he never tried to address the desert of her heart that was crying out for a single drop of friendship.

Hearing her two girlfriends move, Kyouko was shocked to feel them each straddle one of her legs as they pinned her arms down keeping her from moving. Sharing a look both Kanae and Chiori speared Kyouko with a sharp look as they both prepared themselves for a difficult talk.

"Kyouko, do you trust us?" Kanae asked in a serious voice.

"Of course Moko-san!" Kyouko responded as she tried to wiggle her way free to no avail.

"Then repeat after me:

I am a young beautiful woman.

I am desirable and sexy.

I have an incredible talent for acting.

I am not plain, boring, and sexless.

I am worthy of friendship

I have friends"

Kanae said with as straight as a face as she could while looking at Kyouko, a light blush appearing on her face. Kyouko looked shocked before she tried to protest. In her mind, the words that Sho spoke when he broke her heart appeared drowning out any other thoughts.

"But, Moko-san that's not true! I am just a talentless newbie. I don't have a desirable sexy body like you and Chiori. I am just a plain boring girl."

Kyouko protested as tears appeared in her eyes over her misguided belief in her words. A loud slap on the ground next to her head from Chiori broke the repeating cycle of Sho's words in her mind.

"Mo! That is what that bastard told you, isn't it. Why do you believe his words over those who care and love you?"

Kanae said in a frustrated voice.

"Why do you believe that two face bastard over me!"

She practically shouted at Kyouko as tears appeared in her eyes. Shocked by this outburst of emotion, Kyouko recalled Tsuruga-san's question on how would she feel if she tried to help Moko-san and she acted as if she wasn't worth it.

"I sorry Moko-san, please forgive me, I'll try to believe you over him."

Kyouko begged, trying to calm her friend down.

"Kyouko, as your friends, we can't stand seeing you live believing the lies he told you. Can't you see that he doesn't give any thought to your happiness."

Chiori softly said, taking over as Kanae composed herself from her outburst.

"Each time you believe him over everyone else you just give him back control of your life. I have only seen it this once, but if you like this every time he intrudes on your life; then, Kanae has every right to be angry at you."

She finished. Her voice rising with each word she spoke clearly showing her frustration with the way Kyouko clung to the lies Sho had woven around her heart.

"But what am I to believe if not him. For the longest time Sho was the only constant in my life. He was the only one until recently who wouldn't abandon me and even then he left me because I wasn't good enough."

Kyouko said through tear filled as she revealed the deepest part of her wounded heart.

"Kyouko, we will never abandon you, are we not bound forever by the cursed Love-Me uniform."

Kanae with a smile, trying to comfort her distraught friend with a little humor. When she and Chiori had been thinking about this intervention, weeks ago neither of them had realized how deep the wounds in Kyouko's heart were.

The two had become close friends while Kyouko was away on her 'Dangerous Mission' and had talked about Kyouko's disturbing tendency to put herself down. The two girls had planned an intervention to break Kyouko free of that poisonous thinking, but had not had the time to confront her about it yet. However, when they found her crying in the stairwell it seemed providence had provided a way for them to reach out to their mutual friend.

"Moko-san, Chiori, I can't promise I can believe that, but I will promise that I will try to believe it."

Kyouko said. The two girls had freed her arms and she reached up and gather the two into as big of a hug as she could manage.

"Mo, I'm going to hold you to that."

Kanae whispered fiercely in her ear before the three broke the hug and helped each other to stand.

"Now, let's get you cleaned up and looking pretty again." Chiori said as she steered Kyouko towards the small bathroom that was attached to their room. Kanae waited a moment before joining them. The three girls helped each other to remove all traces that they had cried.

After cleaning and fixing their make-up and wrinkled clothing, the three girls went their own way. Chiori was leaving to do work at her agency Soft Hat, Kanae still had some more Love-Me work to do, and Kyouko was going to meet Sawara-san about some new offers he had for her.

o-o-o-o

Ren walked out the elevator towards the president's office. After Kyouko had left him in the parking garage Ren had entered the building and met Yashiro in his office. Once there, Ren reluctantly informed Yashiro what he had done to Sho. This also meant he had to reveal the plans he made with Kyouko for later that night.

After suffering a loud fan-girl scream, Ren was subjected to an intimidating stare as Yashiro proceeded to lecture Ren about the possible consequences of his actions. As Yashiro finished his lecture, he asked if Kyouko was okay.

"I think so, but it's hard to tell with her when it comes to him." Ren replied.

"Was it worth the risk?"

"Yes." Ren answered with a determined look.

"Well, I now know what they mean by 'be careful what you wish for'." Yashiro said with a long sigh.

When Ren asked what he meant, Yashiro just flashed him a grin and replied that his charge was no longer boring. With a huff, Ren left his manager to go to his meeting with the president.

Knocking on the door, Ren was admitted by Lory's mysterious assistant. Walking in, Ren was surprised that Lory's office was relatively plain and unadorned with decorations. He was led to two couches facing each other. Sitting down on the unoccupied one Ren faced Lory.

The reason for the lack of decorations became evident when looking at the state Lory was in. An air of gloominess hung around him as he sat hunched on the couch. Looking up into Ren's eyes, Ren was struck by the dark emotions in the president's eyes.

"Ren, perhaps you can explain why Kyouko-chan was reported crying in one the stairwells just minutes after she left your car?" Lory asked in a quiet voice.

A TV to the side of them lit up and showed a hallway outside of the door leading to the stairs. On it, one could hear the muffled sounds of a girl crying her heart out. After a few minutes of this, the door slammed open as Amamiya-san rushed out and return several minutes later with a towel. After ten or so minutes, the footage showed Kyouko being escorted out by Amamiya-san and Kotonami-san, her eyes clearly red and puffy from crying.

Ren's first reaction was to jump up, go, and see her but a sharp order to stay from Lory had him glued to the couch.

"This footage was about 15 minutes ago, according to my sources the Love-Me girls are taking care of her just fine. So you can enlighten me about why Kyouko-chan felt the need to cry." Lory informed him.

Letting out a slow sigh, Ren removed from his coat pocket the handcuff and chain he had picked up, the one Sho had used on Kyouko, and set it down on the low table between them. Ren proceeded to tell Lory how he was to pick up Mogami-san from her school.

He told him how she called and asked to be picked up at the rear gate instead of the front at the last-minute. He explained in detail how as he approached the rear of the school he had heard two people shouting and arguing. Recognizing one of them as Mogami-san, he quicken his pace until he saw it was Fuwa-san that was shouting at her.

Ren took a moment before he repeated the words he had overheard Fuwa-san say to her before he stepped in. He repeated word for word the exchange he had with him. Quietly Ren told Lory how he had flipped when he had seen this very chain on Mogami-san as if she was Fuwa-san's pet.

He reluctantly related that when Fuwa-san refuse to apologize and free her he lost control and attacked him. He described how Mogami-san had calmed him down after the first hit and how he freed her before they left Fuwa-san still on the ground gasping for air.

Ren repeated the conversation that he had with her in the parking garage after the tense silent ride to LME. As he described her reaction to his words, Lory's eyebrows went up in surprise. "_Damn that playboy, mmm good news is that she responded favorably to him,"_ he thought as Ren finished his narration.

"To sum it up sir, I can't think of any reason beyond what Fuwa-san did to her for Mogami-san to be crying." Ren said as he finished his explanation to Lory.

Lory hummed in response as he motioned for his assistant to come closer.

"Inform Sawara-san that when he is done meeting with Kyouko-chan, the two of them need to come up here. Also let him know we will discuss that offer here with her together." Lory told him before focusing back on Ren.

"Now Ren, why did you want to meet?" He asked.

Taking a deep breath Ren raised his head to meet Lory's gaze. Looking back at Lory were the eyes he had not seen in four years.

"Boss, We need to talk about something I did on the movie set." Kuon said.

* * *

**Chapter 3 done.**

**Ended it here because the chapter would be too long otherwise. Moreover, the upcoming stuff would detract from the drama of this chapter.**

**Let me know what you think in the Reviews.**

**Does anyone know what the name of Ren's movie is called?**

**Please Review.**

**PathKeeper out.**


	4. Chapter 4: Early Harvest of Effort

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat. This is for fun and not for profit. That is why it is in Fan Fiction and not in your local bookstore.

o-o-o-o means major scene break, time skip, or change in point of view.

v-v-v means minor time skips change in point of view, or scene change.

"**_Hello, who is this?_**" Is speaking over a phone.

* * *

Answers to Reviews.

**Amanthya:** Thanks for your thoughtful review. Even though I am the one writing it, I also cannot wait to see how it affects Ren and Kyouko.

**Starlight Rose:** Thanks for the review. When I started to write that chapter, I did not plan for Kyouko to break down like that. However, her character demanded a reaction like that. Mmm... Now I know how those authors feel when they say the character refused to go where they wanted to write. I wanted to focus more on how Ren's words strengthen her love for him, totally did not plan for what happened.

**Lady of the Hunt:** Thanks for that correction, will fix it soon. As for glazed over gaze, all I can say do not write while hungry. :) Thanks for your critique. I added more dialog to chapter 3 because of that.

**21han:** Thanks for the review.

Thanks to the three of you who told me the name of Ren's movie. I had thought 'Tragic Marker' was the name of the studio, but after looking online; it appears to be the name of the movie. So thanks.

* * *

Kyouko walked slowly through the hallways of LME as she made her way to the third floor where Sawara-san's office was located. She had recovered mostly from her breakdown with help from Kanae and Chiori. Though Kyouko felt different after leaving her two friends, she thought that she liked the change. Her soul felt lighter and deep warmth infused her very being. The very thought that she had friends put a new spring in her step and an air of giddiness around her.

Unknowingly Kyouko left a path of chaos and groaning bodies behind her as she walked through LME with an unguarded smile on her face. The female employees would blush deeply when exposed to the unguarded smile of Love-Me #1; while with the male employees, a dazed look appear on their faces. Forgetting where they were going, they caused many accidents in her wake.

Seeing the door to Sawara-san's office, Kyouko knocked politely and waited until she heard him say enter. Entering the room, she gave the head of LME's talent division a bow and an energetic greeting. Sawara-san gestured for her to sit while he found the folder that contained her information and the offer packets she received.

"Ah, good afternoon Mogami-san."

He greeted as he found her file. Opening it, he set aside an offer from the Akatori Agency before handing her the five other packets.

"You be pleased with the offers, I think Mogami-san. Thanks to the popularity of Dark Moon's Mio and the hype over the airing of the first episode of Box'R you have drawn the attention of many people."

He said as she started to look over the titles and short description of each offer.

"Don't worry about scheduling issues, all the offers have been looked over by the president and he assured me that they will not conflict with the ongoing project he has you on. The biggest surprise is a small cameo part offered by a Director Konoe for a movie called 'Tragic Marker'. No lines involved and your face would only appear in a couple of minutes, but it would bring you some name recognition being in a big movie production. Though I can't figure out how you caught his attention in the first place."

Kyouko sat there shocked at the fact Director Konoe offered her a part in his movie. Granted it was a tiny part, but Kyouko knew after being there on the set as Setsuka the difference in scale and importance in the movie production was compared to the shows she has worked on before. Honored that he would even offer her anything Kyouko opened the packet and look over the details.

She would be playing a young woman shown in the opening scene. Her role would consist of walking down a street as they filmed her from different angles. It would be a character type similar to Setsu and her sense of fashion. Tsuruga-san's character B.J. would stalk her character until a hand reaches out from the shadows and drags her into an alley.

Essentially her character would be the first victim announcing B.J.'s return to life and the start of his newest killing spree. The role would be tough because she would have to express everything on her face and through her body without saying a single word.

Kyouko felt a thrill run down her spine at the challenge the role presented her. Before she could get too excited, a frown appeared on her face. She wondered if Tsuruga-san would approve her taking this role. Would it be too presumptuous for her to join the same movie as her sempai? The same movie she knew he was struggling to hold his sanity together while playing his role.

The words Moko-san had wanted her to say appeared in her mind, '_I have an incredible talent for acting_', if her friend believed in her so strongly; than Kyouko was going to accept the offer and hope that Moko-san's words were true. Choosing to believe in the faith of her friend's words Kyouko accepted the offer, setting it off to the side while she looked at the other packets.

Three of the four remaining offers were for commercials. The shooting dates for all three were spaced out over the next couple of months, so Kyouko felt confident that she would be able to accept all of them. Two of the commercials were from a maker of sports gear wanting her for two commercials for a summer campaign, one for tennis, and one for running shoes.

Apparently, the directors liked the fit image Natsu had and thought she would fit in perfectly with the upcoming summer campaign the sports maker was creating. Those two would need to be answered quickly as the shoot dates were just a couple of weeks away.

The good news would be Kyouko would be able to knock both of them out in a couple of days barring any unforeseen events. She decided to accept those offers if there were no scheduling conflicts with her other jobs.

The other offer for a commercial was from Director Kurosaki-san. Kyouko was a little surprised that he would want to work with her again. She slipped shortly into a daydream as she remembered those days past when she worked with Moko-san. A slight cough from Sawara-san breaks her out of the daydream. Kyouko gave a bashful smile and he motioned for her to finish looking through the offers.

The commercial would have Kyouko working with two other girls, their names were not listed; apparently, the roles haven't been filled yet. He was once again was doing a commercial for a beverage company. Apparently, the company was releasing a new beverage line and hired Kurosaki-san to create a commercial to kick off the unveiling event.

She was a little wary about the lack of details on her role, but she could not pass up the chance to work with Kurosaki-san again, so she decided to accept the offer. The shooting times were a month and a half away giving Kyouko enough time to finish the other commercial offers. Moreover, with that much notification Kyouko would be able to inform the Box'R production and schedule around the commercial shoot times.

Sawara-san watched as Kyouko browsed through the first four offers. He felt pride in this young woman who had wormed her way into his heart for all she had accomplished so far. Those offers in her lap were just the beginning harvest of her hard work and effort to make it in this business. He could not wait until she looked at the fifth offer.

It was outside of her experience range, but Tsuruga-san had given his endorsement for letting her try, so Sawara-san had put forth her name. Apparently, the company felt the same as Tsuruga-san and sent an invitation for Kyouko to come and be tested. If she passed, it would drastically increase her name exposure.

Kyouko opened the fifth packet unaware of her boss tensing up as he awaited her reaction. Kyouko almost dropped it from shock when she was half-way through reading it, her eyes widening in disbelief. It was an invite from R'Mandy to come in and be tested to be a model for them. They were opening up a new semi-formal line of clothes aimed for young woman ages from 16-26. After seeing the pose she had in her roles of Natsu and Mio, they were interested if she would be able to have the same pose as a model.

"Um... Sawara-san, are you sure this last offer isn't a mistake?" She asked in a tentative voice.

"No, it is no mistake Mogami-san. A couple of weeks ago, R'Mandy asked for the yearly list of any of our new talents that LME believed had potential to be a model. LME has enjoyed a close relationship with them because of Tsuruga and they have always been pleased with our talents. R'Mandy then will investigate those on the list and decide which ones they like. When Tsuruga heard about it this year, he suggested that I put your name on the list. At first I was unsure but he assured me you had the needed skills to make the transition if you wanted to."

Sawara-san said with a large smile.

"Congratulation Mogami-san."

Kyouko sat there stunned at the revelation that Tsuruga-san had recommended her for consideration to be an R'Mandy model. Once again, Moko-san's words flashed through her head. Slowly Kyouko's confidence in herself was slowly built up by the belief her friends had in her. Embarrassed and flattered that her sempai would put his word on the line for her. She resolved to accept the invite and prove Tsuruga-san's belief in her true.

"_He really would take any risk for me," _she thought with a light blush.

"I'd like to accept all of these Sawara-san if possible." She said breaking her out of her thoughts about Tsuruga-san.

"Good, I glad you like them all. They will all get your name out there in the public conscious. Plus they will show a new side of you separate from your bully roles, so give it your all Mogami-san."

Sawara-san said before reaching for the offer he had set aside.

"Now Mogami-san you still have one last offer left, but president Takarada wants to meet and go over the details with us. Just to let you know beforehand it is an offer Akatoi Agency to work with Fuwa Sho in his new PV. Apparently, they want the person who plays Bo for the role. But enough of that we need to head to the president's office."

When Kyouko heard Sho's name the hatred she held for him rose up and seized her mind. Why was fate once again throwing them together. As she fumed in her hatred for Sho a hand landed on her shoulder, looking up she saw Sawara-san looking down at her.

Sawara-san looked at her concerned; he had long ago realized that one had to tread carefully around Kyouko when Fuwa was mentioned. He became concerned when she became pale and her body seemed to shake when he had mentioned Fuwa's name. This was a very different reaction than Kyouko usually had when she heard his name. With a slight nudge, he broke whatever came over her and led her to Lory's office.

o-o-o-o

Takarada Lory, president of LME leaned back against the back of the couch he sat on as he thought over what Ren had told him. He was not too duly concerned about Ren's struggle with Kuon, because it was going so far just as he predicted. What really concerned him was how this singer Fuwa Sho seemed to be threatening his plans for Kyouko. How could he get her to accept love and heal the wounds in her heart if this young man kept ripping them open?

He pondered why this young man felt the need to force himself on his actress. Lory knew that the two had grown up together and had lived together in Tokyo from the report his investigator gave him. Nevertheless, Lory still did not know what cause the two childhood friends to part ways a year ago. He was sure they did not do anything unsavory when they lived together consider how naïve and innocent Kyouko behaves.

Ren had refused to reveal what was going on between the two, saying he would not betray Kyouko's trust. Lory looked up as one of his lawyers walked in and deposited several stacks of paper. Each one was a different contingency plans to deal with Fuwa depending on what information they got Kyouko. A bit after 5:00 pm, Sawara and Kyouko walked into his office. After a quick greeting, they both sat down on the couch opposite of him.

"_She looks okay; I'll have to give Kotonami-san and Amamiya-san credit for a good job."_

Lory thought as he looked for any signs of her earlier distress. Kyouko seemed more at peace with herself than even when he had seen her this morning. Like she had some great revelation that changed her life. Putting those thoughts out of his mind, Lory focused on the present.

"Mogami-san so good to see you again, this is one of my lawyers Karoi-san. Before we get into what you came here for, I trust you have looked over your other offers. I hope you have decided to accept them all."

Lory said with a flourish as he returned her greeting. Kyouko shyly nodded and explained that she had decided to accept the other five others she had received. Lory exchanged greetings and talked with Sawara-san about Kyouko's prospects for the rest of the year. Kyouko sat with a red face as her boss eagerly talked with the president about how he expected her career to go. Lory seeing Kyouko turn red from embarrassment gave a hearty chuckle as he steered the conversation to the topic they had gathered.

"Now Mogami-san, Ren has informed me of the altercation you and him had with Fuwa Sho earlier today. Now do not worry, you are not in trouble. However, to deal with it properly we need you to tell us what exactly your connection to Fuwa-san is."

Lory said in a gentle tone trying to keep Kyouko from jumping to wrong conclusions. Sawara-san looked on in shock at this revelation. He thought that maybe this was why she reacted so different today to hearing his name than usual.

"I'm sorry president-san, but I can't tell you. I'm sure that you'll want me to leave LME if you heard it."

Kyouko said in a panicked voice.

"Mogami-san let me be clear. I already know most of your history with Fuwa-san. Nothing you could say would make me want to fire you." Lory responded trying to calm her fears.

Reluctantly Kyouko related her twisted past with Sho. Starting with her childhood, she explained where she grew up in Kyoto and how Sho had been a constant in her life even when her mother abandoned her. She explained how Sho's dream was to make it big as a singer and how she had supported him in it. Kyouko talked about coming with him to Tokyo when he had asked her to. How she had skipped high school and worked three part-time jobs to support him and the apartment they lived in.

Embarrassed she explained how she had loved Sho since she was very young and how his parents raised her to be his bride able to tend to his every need. With tears starting to appear in her eyes she recounted that fateful day when she tried to surprise him with a homemade lunch when she overheard what he really thought of her. She repeated his words in a haunted voice as Lory and Sawara-san sat stunned at what she was telling them.

Kyouko repeated the challenge Sho had given her when she declared she would make him pay for using her as he did. She went on to explain why she chose LME to be the company she would use to have her revenge. She started to go into a rant about how Sho kept trying to ruin her life, as the other occupants of the room were unable to stop her.

As Kyouko was explaining the most current incident and all the other times Sho would not leave her alone, a change came over her. Her posture relaxed from her usual stiff formal posture. Instead of slouching she appeared to become comfortable in her own skin, a type of regal air seemed to surround her as she sat on the couch as if she was the owner of LME and not Lory. Her iron strong and noble spirit that one would get glimpses of in Mio and Natsu took over her body giving Lory a glimpse of the diamond she could become in the end with the right care and training.

However, before the two men could speak Kyouko seemed to deflate and return to her normal self as she finished her rant. Lory looked at her with pity in his eyes. The missing piece of his understanding of Kyouko fell into place. Now he understood why Ren was so angry with Fuwa and gave into Kuon so easily. He looked at Sawara-san and so the same look of understanding and heartbreak in his eyes that Lory knew were in his own. One thing that caught his attention was that in her rant Kyouko said that he keeps calling at all times and leaving angry voicemails.

"Mogami-San, do you still have the voicemails that Fuwa-San left?" Lory asked as he motioned for his assistant to join them.

"Yes, I couldn't figure out how to delete them." She admitted.

Lory asked for her phone and proceeded to play the last voicemail from Sho on speakerphone.

"... You soul sucking demon! From today on your name is the shape shifting soul sucker!"* An enraged hate-filled male voice echoed in the room as the occupants listened on in shock.

"This was from last night in response to how I was dressed for the Dark Moon Finale party. The reason why he came to me today was he was not satisfied with leaving a voicemail and wanted to tell me in person."

Kyouko said in a tired voice as the others in the room still seemed shocked by Sho's words. The lawyer besides Lory removed several of the stacks of paper leaving the largest on the coffee table between the two couches.

"Mogami-san, did you ever willing give Fuwa-san your phone number?" The lawyer asked as she looked through her briefcase.

"No." Kyouko replied and further explained that since his number showed as unidentified she never knows if it is him until it is too late. She explained that she knows several people with a phone that blocked their identification and that it was very frustrating have to answer her phone because it could be Sho instead of who she thought had called.

Lory sat there with a grim face as his lawyer pulled out several sheets of paper from her briefcase and discussed in a whisper with him how this new information changed their options. Turning to his assistant, Lory gave him Kyouko's phone and told him to set her up with one of their protected models. The one Kyouko called 'Sebastian' gave a nod of acknowledgement and mysteriously disappeared from the room.

"Now Mogami-san, the reason Karoi-san is here is to give legal advice on how we should deal Fuwa-san. The offer from Akatoi is one you cannot decline because of the large boost it would give your career. However, with how Fuwa-san has treated you, we will take precautions to make sure nothing happens until a deal can be worked out with Akatoi. Luckily the meeting that was scheduled for tonight about the PV was canceled and pushed back to tomorrow because Fuwa-san appears to be ill and unable to attend."

Lory informed her with a slight smile.

"The director of the PV was very impressed with how you were able to portray and express Bo's emotion through his body language. This is a chance to expand your résumé and open up new fields of acting that were closed to you before. I will not let you decline this."

He told the shocked young woman before him.

"Now Mogami-san, the first thing we need to know is if you want to press charges for mmm... Let us see, sexual harassment, defamation of your name, public harassment, physical assault, and emotional distress. Now give some thought before replying, based on the evidence you have given already I am sure we could win this in court."

The lawyer Karoi-san said as she took over from Lory.

"But..."

"Stop! He has done these things by his own will, so do not defend his actions and say it is your fault!"

Karoi said sharply cutting off Kyouko seeing that she was going to accept blame for his actions.

"Now these charges may never make it to the court, but what is important is that you are willing to go through with pressing them. That will be key for negotiations with Akatoi agency. If you're willing we will easily get all of our demands agreed to."

Karoi explained to Kyouko why the charges were necessary. Putting her hand on the large stack of papers Karoi looked at Kyouko.

"See these papers Mogami-san. They are the contract Akatori and Fuwa-san will have to sign if they want to keep his actions out of the public arena and continue working with LME talent. Various limits and restrictions will be imposed on Fuwa-san when he is near you. Also there are punishment clauses if he breaks those restrictions."

Seeing her waver, Lory jumped in.

"Mogami-san, we at LME take our employee's safety seriously. This is just one of the many contracts we have for dealing with a problem person that is in the industry."

Faced with all this Kyouko gave her consent to the plan presented before her. For the next twenty minutes, the three in the room explained what exactly the contract contained and what steps Kyouko would have to take to stay within it. While the four talked and ironed out the details, 'Sebastian' had slipped back into the room and handed Lory a shiny black phone.

"Now Mogami-san here is your new phone, it has some security features that should keep Fuwa-san from finding your new number from outside sources. Don't worry, your contacts from your old phone are already loaded and a message has been sent updating them about the change in number. If he is able to still get the new number bring it in and we will be able to block him."

He said as he handed the shiny black smart phone to Kyouko.

"But, sir I can't accept that."

Kyouko said as she started to protest and ask for her old phone back.

"Mogami-san, consider it payment for you 'Dangerous Mission' and accept it"

Lory said in a tone of voice that brooked no argument. Meekly she did as she was told and accepted the phone. Karoi-san said that she would contact Sawara-san with any further details after she had everything ready to begin negotiations, leaving the room with her papers.

"Now Mogami-san don't worry about the meeting tomorrow, I will make arrangements to give you some protection from Fuwa-san."

Lory informed her. After that, the three said their farewells, Sawara-san, and Kyouko left the room. After stopping by Sawara-san's office to pick up copies of her offers Kyouko went to the Love-Me room to get her things. She freshened herself up, grabbed her purse and walked towards the door.

Exiting the room, she ran straight into a wall of cloth covered muscle. She gave a surprised squeak when a hand caught her around the waist to steady her as she lost her balance. Embarrassed that she ran into someone she looked up into the smiling face of her sempai.

"Tsuruga-sann..." She stuttered with a light blush from his godly smile.

* * *

**^Edited 6/16/2012^ I finally switched back on my grammar checker in Word, I will be editing of my works now. I apologize for all the mistakes. I am looking for a beta and hoped to have one soon.**

**Chapter 4 Done!**

*** was taken directly from page 7 of chapter 185 of Skip Beat. I do not own it.**

**Let me know what you think.**

**Please Review.**


	5. Chapter 5: The Final Seed is Planted

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat. This is for fun and not for profit. That is why it is in Fan Fiction and not in your local bookstore.

o-o-o-o means major scene break, time skip, or changes in point of view.

v-v-v means minor time skips, changes in point of view, or scene change.

"**_Hello, who is this?_**" Is speaking over a phone.

* * *

Wow, seven reviews just for chapter 4. Thanks to all of you who took the time to leave a review. You Skip Beat readers sure know how to leave great reviews. Your detailed reviews really help me to find the faults in my writing and your praises really encourages me.

Thanks!

Answers to Reviews.

**Amanthya**: Thanks for your review. It is nice to see others appreciate my work. Thanks for commenting on all parts of the chapter.

**onliafaze**: Thanks for your review. I think the beagle was worse than Sho because he was willing to go too far, but the direction Sho has been going, he will end up doing worst to keep Kyouko bound to him. Yes! Someone else agrees with me that Sho was assaulting her.

**Hanzap109**: Thanks for your review. I am flattered that you think my story is fantastic. ;) Yes, it sounded more 'normal life' does make sense to me. That was what I was aiming for. I want a believable progression in their relationship. Too many fantastic Skip Beat start to make Kyouko's rise to fame something out of a fairy tale instead of real life. Thanks for commenting on the chemistry between Kyouko and Ren. I was not sure if I hit that right because I have never interacted with a girl romantically. So I was worried it would come across as false or fake.

**Angeline G. McFellou**: Thanks for your review. I laughed so hard when I first saw it. The first sentence was very poetic. Don't worry I understand the frustrations of using Google Translate to read fanfiction. I welcome you to leave it in your native language if you want. No guarantee I will understand completely as I will be using Google Translate to understand it.

**skipbeatlover592**: Thanks for your review. I am glad you like my story. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Lady of the Hunt**: Thanks for your review. Does not every true Ren and Kyouko fan wait anxiously for the day Sho is arrested and punished for his crimes against Kyouko. ;)

**Starlight Rose**: Thanks for your review. I am glad you liked how I am having Lory act towards Kyouko. I firmly believe that if he knew someone was jeopardizing his plans for the Love-Me girls, he would take action. I mean this is the man who created a whole new department just for Kyouko, surely he would be upset with someone messing with her. The manga portrays him as someone not to cross, so I think that he would have plans for dealing with someone like Sho. I am currently looking for a beta.

Sorry for the poor quality of the last chapter. As Starlight Rose pointed out it had a lot of mistakes. Part of that was because it was hot off the press. The other reason was because I had to replace my hard-drive a couple months ago. When I installed Microsoft Word, I forgot to enable the grammar checker.

All this time I had believe it was on and so thought my chapters free from simple errors. Sadly that was not the case. Don't worry about it anymore because I have enabled the grammar checker and have acquired a couple of different checkers. Hopefully I will get a beta but until then I hope you readers will stick with my story.

Let me know in reviews or PMs if this chapter is better.

* * *

Ren stood on the roof of LME's main building enjoying the fresh air. When he had left his meeting with Lory, he had needed some time alone to gather his wits. Ren was angry that the president did not seem concerned over his lost of control on the set of his new movie, Tragic Marker.

At first Lory had shown some concern, but when Ren revealed that it was Kyouko's voice that had snapped him out of his cloud of rage, Lory had a satisfied smile on his face. It upset Ren that the president was not concerned over the fact that he was losing control over Kuon.

When their meeting ended, he just had to get some fresh air, so he went to the roof for some privacy. While his anger over the president's lack of concern abated, Ren resisted the urge to pull a cigarette from Cain's stash and smoke the stress away.

What had become a prop for the Cain Heel character was starting to become a habit to relieve the stress of playing the roles of Cain and B.J. simultaneously. Ren was able to resist when he remembered Kyouko's distaste for his smoking. Slowly his clenched hands relaxed as thoughts of the girl who held his heart filled his mind.

Deep in his mind, Ren could feel the darkness that he considers Kuon calm at the thought of Kyouko. It amazed him at how effortlessly she was able to drive the cold and darkness away with just her presence and voice. As much as he did not want to show her this side of himself, Ren realized that the president was right. Kyouko was the strongest talisman to keep at his side.

Thinking of Kyouko brought back to Ren's mind the last image he had seen of her. His heart ached at seeing her red and puffy eyes, clear signs that she had cried. He hoped the other Love-Me girls would be able to help her. He wondered at the cause of her tears. The only two possible reasons he could think of was himself or Sho.

A sharp pain went through him at the thought he had been the reason for her tears. He wondered again if he was hurting her same as Sho. Hearing such similar words leave Sho's mouth about her clothing for the Dark Moon party made Ren sick.

He realized that he had let his jealousy of Kijima run out of control, but never in a million years would he believe that he would ever think the same as Fuwa Sho. Hearing those words from Sho also confirmed for Ren the feelings that brat held towards Kyouko. Sho must have start to realize the jewel he had thrown away when he teared apart Kyouko's heart.

"_Well, he will not get another chance at her heart._" Ren thought grimly.

Checking his watch, Ren discovered that time had flown by him. It was almost five thirty. Taking a deep breath, Ren looked at the sun that was starting to set. A smile tugged at his face as he remembered that he had dinner plans with Kyouko. Humming a light tune, Ren entered the building to check in one last time with Yashiro before looking for Kyouko.

o-o-o-o

Shouko gave a huff of frustration, blowing away the tendril of hair that fallen free of her hair tie. She had just finished making several phone calls to apologize for Sho and reschedule tonight's meeting to tomorrow night. Looking back over her shoulder, she could just make Sho's feet as they hung off the end of the couch. She thought over what had happened earlier.

Flashback

She had been just about to leave the apartment to meet Sho at TBM for the meeting tonight when the phone rang. Picking it up she was shocked by what she heard.

"**Shouko... I need you to cancel... tonight's meeting.**" Sho said between pained gasp.

Worried, she had Sho give the phone to the driver. The driver explained that an older man had punched Sho while he was at the school. Shouko ordered him to return Sho back home and to help him to the apartment. As she waited for the driver to arrive with Sho, Shouko searched for the first aid kit and gathered everything she thought she might need to treat him.

When they arrived, Shouko helped the driver to bring Sho into the apartment and lay him on the couch. After thanking the driver for his help and giving him a large tip, she turned her gaze towards Sho. Grabbing a bottle of pain relievers and a bottle of water Shouko approached her charge.

Holding the bottle of pills in front of him, Shouko waited until he responded. See him stretch for the bottle; she quickly moved them out of his reach.

"Oh no, Sho. If you want these, you will have to tell me why we are still here instead of at TBM for the meeting about your new PV?"

Shouko said in a hard voice. Sho made a few futile swipes for the pain pills before lying back with a pained groan.

"Damn it, Shouko give me the pills!"

He shouted, getting angry over how his manager was treating him. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as Shouko's gaze turned icy. The bottles of pills and water hit his stomach hard, making Sho gasp in pain. Looking up, Sho cringed at the fury he saw in her eyes.

"Do not ever talk that way to me again or you will regret it!"

Shouko said slowly in an ice-cold voice that Sho had never heard from her.

"Now while you nurse your wounded pride, I'll be making the calls to reschedule the meeting. While I'm doing that, you better be thinking about how you are going to explain to me why I am canceling tonight's meeting."

She finished before walking into the kitchen to make her phone calls.

End of Flashback

Letting out a long sigh, Shouko walked towards the living room and sat down in the chair next to the couch. Looking over Sho, she realized that he was looking better. The pain pills appeared to be all that he needed.

"Sho, look at me." She said quietly.

She had to resist a grin as Sho shyly peeked out from under the arm he had rested across his eyes. Apparently, her anger earlier made an impression on him. "_Good, hopefully he'll learn._" She thought approvingly as Sho slowly sat up on the couch. Sho tentatively made eye contact with her. He looked so much like a little boy who wanted his mother's approval.

"Are you ready to tell me what happened?" She asked.

"Bast***... Mine... Damn girl..."

Sho mumbled. Shouko could only pick out a few words, but it was enough for her to deduce that Sho had indeed met with Kyouko. Knowing there was only one man Sho would call a bast*** in relation to Kyouko, she let out another long sigh. Great, Sho just had to meet both Tsuruga-san and Kyouko at the same time.

"Oh Sho, what did you do?"

She questioned before dropping her head into her hands. It was going to be a long and trying night to get Sho to open up to her. Shouko prepared herself for a long drawn out struggle to get Sho to confess. "_I hope he did not do anything to Kyouko._" She thought as she began her first attempt to tempt Sho into confessing.

o-o-o-o

Ren strode through the hallways of LME as he headed towards the Love-Me locker room. When he had come down from the roof, he went to his manager's office. There Yashiro met him with a teasing grin. Before Ren could ask why he was grinning, Yashiro guided him out of the room. Bewildered, Ren watched as his manager gathered his things and locked his office. As his manager turned to face him, Ren felt a cold shiver run down his spine when Yashiro's grin seemed to brighten.

"Now Ren don't worry about giving me a ride home, I've already called a cab."

Yashiro said as he walked past Ren towards the elevator. Just when Ren thought he was safe, he heard his manager call out for his attention. Looking towards him, Ren saw Yashiro standing in the elevator with the same teasing grin on his face.

"By the way Ren, enjoy your dinner tonight! Kyouko should be in the Love-Me room right about now." Yashiro said with a wink as the door of the elevator closed.

Shaking away the embarrassment, Ren reached to knock on the door to the Love-Me room. Before his hand could make contact, it swung open and a feminine body collided with his. Shocked by what happened, Ren still had enough sense to help the woman who ran into him keep her balance.

Ren looked down to find out who the woman was, while his right arm encircled her waist, his hand coming to rest lightly on her right hip holding her steady. Upon seeing the head of orange auburn hair, an unguarded smile crossed Ren's face as he realized that the it was Kyouko in his arms.

Still looking down at her, Ren saw as she raised her head to see whom she had run into. When her amber eyes met his own, Ren had to stifle a chuckle at her reaction. Her eyes widened in surprise even as her mouth opened slightly bringing Ren's attention to her lips. Seeing her looking so defenseless and alluring ignited Ren's passions.

As he struggled with whether he should kiss her, Ren was vaguely aware of her greeting him in a stutter. Felling her start to struggle out of his grasp Ren snapped out of his amorous thinking. With great reluctance Ren release the beauty he had captured from the enclosure his arm formed.

A couple of minutes had passed as the two people took time to reign in their emotions. For Kyouko the feeling of being held in Tsuruga-san's arms while exposed to his unguarded smile had set her pulse racing. Her right hip seemed to throb with a strange warmth ignited by the feeling of his hand holding her steady. She took several deep breaths to calm herself; her grudges working desperately to reattached the locks on her agitated heart.

Ren had to take a couple of steps back to prevent himself from pulling her back into his embrace. His right hand ached with the want to feel her body again. His hand seemed to fit so naturally into the curve of her hip. Remembering her stuttered greeting and the panicked expression that started to form on her face when she could not get free, Ren forced his desires down so as not to scare her away.

"Ah Mogami-san, I was looking for you. I was going to ask if you were ready, but it seems you found me first."

Ren said jokingly hoping to relieve the guilt that was surely building in her from running bodily into her sempai. That looked to be the right thing for him to say. Because Kyouko visibly relaxed and did not go into her usual bout of bowing and apologies, she gave him a shy smile as she returned his greeting.

Together the two made their way towards the parking garage where Ren parked his car. They chatted amiably over little things like Ren's schedule over the next couple of days or Kyouko's upcoming scenes for Box'R. Neither was willing to talk about deeper subjects. After they had reached the car and settled into it, Kyouko started to give directions to Ren on where to go.

Kyouko was still absorbing all the changes wrought in her heart by the actions of her friends. Between the words of Tsuruga-san, the feelings of Moko-san and Chiori-san, and the lengths the president was willing to go for her, she felt lost and confused on which way was up anymore.

The foundations of her world became undefined and malleable. Though she was still in the process of redefining them, she was not rebuilding them on the unstable words of Sho or her mother, instead she was for the first time in her life laying them down in unmovable stone. Foundations that she had hewn personally from the hardened rock that was her heart, brought about by her own efforts of finding herself through acting. The angel that Tsuruga-san's words had released was now speeding up the process started by her own actions on her heart.

Self-Worth strengthened by the actions of those that cared for Kyouko was rapidly increasing the rate of change in her heart. Whereas before the progress she made in her heart was two steps back for every step forward. Now the rate that her heart was changing and softening was rapidly overtaking any setbacks life threw at her.

Her heart was not returning to its earlier form as Kyouko and her grudges feared, but it was changing into something unknown. That unknown frightens her, but also draws her to it as a moth is drawn towards the light. Even though Kyouko perceives danger from the process changing her heart, she is also intrigued by it. Feeling like a frightened child stuck on a moving roller coaster, Kyouko can only hold on and hope for the best.

Ren silently drove his car through the streets of Tokyo following Kyouko's directions without a complaint. He feared bringing up that he knew she had cried for fear of her answer. He knew that if she had wanted him to know she would not have waited until she was away from him to start crying.

Moreover, he was afraid that he was the cause of her tears. Therefore, instead of asking her for the truth, his heart chose the coward's way out. He would rather live in ignorance for the moment then discover that he caused her pain. If she were willing to open up to him, then he would accept whatever truth she told him.

He resolved to observe her in the future for signs that he was the source of her pain. That, he felt was all he could do at the moment. As he drove following her directions, Ren allowed himself to fantasize a little. He imagined that he and Kyouko were driving somewhere; he was content with just listening to her voice as she gave the directions for their trip.

The sound of Kyouko calling his name and motion of her hand waving in front of his eyes brought him out of his fantasy. Ren was surprised to see that during his daydream he had followed Kyouko's directions to their destination. Peering through the windshield, Ren realizes that the building in front of them was familiar to him. As he got out and walked around the car to open the door for her, Ren recognized that they were at the rear of the Darumaya. The restaurant that Kyouko has been living above since Sho left her last year.

Ren had to force his eyes to stay above the roof-line of the car as Kyouko started to get out. "_That skirt is showing way too much leg, it should be banned!"_ Ren thought as the pleated skirt of Kyouko's school uniform rose, exposing the smooth skin of her thighs when she moved her legs to stand up.

"I hope you don't mind coming here Tsuruga-san, but I have not been here since we started acting as the Heel siblings. I wanted to visit and see Okami-san and the Taisho before we went back to living together as brother and sister. "

She said as she led the way up the back stairs. She removed a key from her purse and unlocked the rear door. Ren followed into the rear of the restaurant. He looked curiously at the things around them as Kyouko led him through the maze of supplies stored in the back of the building.

He had never seen the operating side of a restaurant before. It did not really surprise him that storage room and pantry of the Darumaya resembled the setup his father kept at home. Only his father would have a kitchen that could rival the operations of a popular family restaurant that catered to hundreds of people.

Ren followed Kyouko as they entered a back hallway that connected with the living area of the building. There they took off their shoes and Ren wore a pair of slippers that Kyouko gave him. He did not comment on the fact that Kyouko already owned a pair of slippers in his size even as she blushed when she handed them over. Kyouko led him to a low table and bade him to sit while she went to tell the owners that they had arrived.

While Kyouko was gone, Ren inspected the room he was in. The room had a homely feel to it and Ren's keen eye could pick out the signs that while not rich, the owners took good care of their possessions. Sitting there, Ren could feel the care and effort the couple had put into making their restaurant successful from the way the room's decorations. Ren was glad that Kyouko had such people looking out for her. From what he could remember from meeting them at Maria's Grateful Party, they struck Ren as decent folk who cared greatly for Kyouko.

A cold shiver went down his spine as Ren felt someone's gaze fell upon his back. Turning around slowly, Ren was confronted with the cold stare of the Taisho of the Darumaya. He stood as gracefully as he could under the hard stare of the man and extended his greetings. The stern man motioned for him to follow and left the room. Following him led Ren to the kitchen, there the Taisho handed him an apron and a cap for his hair. The Taisho pointed him towards a bin of unwashed vegetables.

A little bewildered, Ren rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt, put the apron, and cap on. He asked the chef which of the vegetable he wanted Ren to clean. The Taisho showed him several empty tubs next to the sink and ordered Ren to wash and separate the vegetable according to type. Ren was never more thankful that he had learned how to wash vegetables with his father than he was at that very moment.

He quickly realized that the stern man was testing him, to see if he would balk at being ordered around by a lowly chef from a family restaurant. As he was concentrating on washing the vegetables, Ren almost missed when the soft-spoken man talked.

"Jun and I have had several children who have gone on to live their own lives. However, we both still consider Kyouko to be our youngest."

Ren paused in his washings as he waited for the older man to continue.

"You understand that her well-being and happiness are important to us. That there would be repercussions for breaking her heart."

This he said giving emphasis to his last words as he displayed how sharp his knives were by carving up a chunk of meat for the dinner special. Ren's eyes followed the flashing metal of the keen blade as it effortlessly sliced through muscle and bone. Ren gulped nervously as he watched the Taisho showed the skill he had in wielding his blades.

"Kamiya-san, I would like to state that Mogami-san is a dear friend. Her happiness and well-being is very important to me." Ren said as sincerely as he could.

The two men shared a look, an understanding passed between them. Ren recognized that while he had passed an important test the Taisho was still going to keep a careful eye on him. The Taisho accepted Ren's statement as true, but that just meant that he had to look deeper for a reason to keep Ren away from Kyouko. The two men continued to prepare the ingredients for the dinner rush. Ren being carefully guided in what to do by the Taisho.

v-v-v

Kyouko walked into the main dining area of the Darumaya and greeted the Okami-san. After they exchanged greetings, the Okami-san told Kyouko to go upstairs, clean up, and change out of her school uniform. When Kyouko protested, the older woman insisted saying that she would look after Kyouko's guest for her and that she should take her time. On the way to the stairs leading to the upper floors, Kyouko exchanged greetings with some of the restaurant's regulars who had arrived earlier. They had recognized her as the polite young woman who helped sometimes.

Kyouko went to her room where she grabs some fresh underwear, a white undershirt and a simple cream-colored blouse, and to complete her outfit a pair of black capri pants before she entered the bathroom to take a shower. Kyouko felt awful for leaving her sempai alone without a word. However, when the hot water from the shower hit her skin, she let out a moan of pleasure as the steaming hot water washed away the stress from her body.

All thoughts of leaving her sempai alone fled from her mind as she relaxed under the spray of the shower. Kyouko did not realize just how stressed out she had become today. Ever since she had met Sho at her school, she felt as if she was being blown to and fro unable to stop her frantic flight. She decided that indulging herself under the hot water a little was allowable given the day she had today.

After about ten minutes Kyouko remembered that she had Tsuruga-san waiting downstairs for her. She quickly went through the process of cleaning herself. Thinking of Tsuruga-san brought to mind the various times today where he had touched her softly with his hand. A deep blush appeared on her face and traveled downwards as Kyouko remembered the feel of his hand on her face and hip. "_No, don't think about. New rule. No thinking about sempais while showering."_ Kyouko firmly thought as she reigned in her wandering thoughts.

No matter what feelings his touch brought forth, Kyouko resolutely decided to ignore them. Because there is no way he would be interested in her, and he was a bona fide playboy she reminded herself. It was in his nature to make gestures like that, she told her beating heart as she stepped out of the shower and began drying herself. No matter how she may have enjoyed them, she would not take them to heart.

She dressed, gather up her dirty clothes, and left the bathroom heading towards her room. There she fixed her hair in a style that was a mix of Nastu and her usual hair style. Putting on a little make-up and some shiny lip balm, Kyouko decided she was ready to face the world once more. She hoped that Tsuruga-san would be willing to forgive her for leaving him so long. As she descended the stairs, Kyouko could hear the sounds of a busy dining room. She realized that the dinner rush was in full swing.

Kyouko blushed as she made her way through the dining room heading towards the private rooms in the back. Some of the more regular male customers gave a wolf-whistle as she passed, laughing at her reaction. The women gave her compliments on her looks as she made her way through the maze of tables. Kyouko, however received a shock when she reached the back room, Tsuruga-san was nowhere in sight. At first she thought he had left, angry at her for leaving him unattended for so long.

Before her heart could sink further into despair, Kyouko noticed that his shoes were still present; meaning that he was still somewhere in the building. She decided to see if the Taisho knew where her errant sempai had wandered off to. Hearing sounds of two men speaking through the kitchen entryway, Kyouko found where her missing sempai was.

She stood at the entryway in shock at the sight before her. Her proud sempai with sleeves rolled up, had his hands immersed in soapy water as he washed the incoming flow of dirty dishes. Before she object to the treatment of her esteemed sempai, Kyouko felt a hand rest upon her left arm. Looking to her left she saw the Okami-san who motioned for Kyouko to follow her.

"Please don't interfere Kyouko-chan. Taichi is just doing his duty, remember this is the first boy you have brought to us."

She said when they had moved away far enough to not be overheard by the two men. Kyouko blushed at the implications of her words. Before she could protest the words of the Okami-san, the older woman place a finger on Kyouko's lips silencing her voice.

"Now you may not have realized it, but we have for a while considered you a daughter. Therefore Taichi takes his duty as your father to screen any of the boys you bring home very seriously. Now don't go and ruin his fun at tormenting the poor lad, though your Tsuruga-san seems able to hold his own."

Kyouko stood there stunned by what she had just heard. She knew that the Taisho and Okami-san held her with a certain regard, but she never would she had thought that they would consider her as their own daughter. Seeing Kyouko in shock, Jun decided to take pity on her.

"Now dear, why don't you help take orders in the main room. We'll be closing in a couple of hours. After we close the four of us can have that meal you wanted and you can introduce us to Tsuruga-san."

Jun said while pushing a numb Kyouko towards the main dining room. She handed Kyouko a pencil and a pad of paper to take orders down. Numbly Kyouko followed the advice of the Okami-san and started to help the waitress that was already on duty in the room.

As Kyouko fell back into ingrained habits she had from growing up at the Fuwa's inn, she processed the words of the Okami-san. She blushed lightly when she thought over the words 'your Tsuruga-san'. Inside her heart a section that was long abandoned started to beat once more. Revived briefly when Hizuri Kuu had been in Japan, it was the sincere words of the Okami-san that ignited it again, now full of life and beating strongly.

For the first time in her memory Kyouko's entire heart was nurtured and loved. Her heart now beats as one whole, the shattered pieces slowly coming together. The final seed for her rebirth had been planted by the humble owners of the Darumaya.

* * *

**Chapter 5 done!**

**4,434 words without author notes.**

**Can any you guess what popular children's show I am naming my OCs and the Taisho and Okami-san after?**

**I decided to give the owners' of Darumaya children who may come into the story later.**

**I am looking for suggestions for a song or scenario for Sho's PV. To be honest I wrote myself into a corner on that one. If you have any let me know through reviews and PMs. Make sure to include the correct title of the song so I can look it up.**

**Decided to end it here because the actual dinner would be 1,000 or more words. So the next chapter will start off with the dinner instead of this one ending it. I wanted to make it dialog heavy and just didn't feel like adding it on to the end of this one. Still have to map out my conversation for it.  
**

**Please Review.**

**PathKeeper out.**


	6. Author Note

All Stories are on hiatus until at least the middle of the summer or start of fall. I will be going over each one and editing them to correct the errors I now see in them. My English class at UTA has been grueling and has really forced me to look at how I write. I am hoping to get several chapters wrote during this time so that I will be a couple of chapters ahead in the plot lines. This should help to erase the long waits between chapters as I try to get inspiration for the next chapter.

Only Ark of Shadows, Kryptonian Legacy, and Imperfect Perfection will be updated during this period. Mainly Imperfect Perfection because that is where I feel the most inspired to write. Ark of Shadows and Kryptonian Legacy I will be just releasing the next chapters that are almost complete. After the next chapters of these three stories are released I will be doing some heavy editing and revisions to my stories. I will mainly be cleaning up grammar mistakes and expanding the chapters some to make them clearer. Only after I have fixed up the earlier chapters of a story, will I start to release new chapters.

I am doing this to streamline the writing process and make time for fanfiction in my life. This last year was extremely busy and hectic and the next several will be similar. I hope you, the readers will stay with as I endeavor to deliver high quality chapters for the stories you have been following. Some stories will start to be updated sooner than others, but this is the best I can do for now.

Thank you for all of your reviews and support. I will endeavor to make this hiatus short as possible.

PathKeeper.


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